Review slams BBC over Savile report but says no cover-up

Mr Nick Pollard, author of a report on the BBC's treatment of a story on Jimmy Savile, speaks during a press conference at New Broadcasting House in London on Dec 19, 2012. The BBC did not put pressure on its flagship news show to drop a sex expose into Jimmy Savile but staff emails published by an inquiry showed that some knew about a "darker side" to the former star even as they prepared a tribute programme. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON (AFP) - An official report on Wednesday strongly criticised the BBC's handling of allegations of child sex abuse against late presenter Jimmy Savile, but cleared the world's biggest broadcaster of a cover-up.

The findings by an independent inquiry sparked the resignation of the BBC's deputy director of news, and led to the editor and deputy editor of the programme at the centre of the scandal being replaced.

The report exposed the "chaos and confusion" at the BBC although it dismissed claims that its flagship current affairs programme Newsnight dropped an investigation into Savile so as not to jeopardise Christmas tribute shows to him.

The BBC commissioned the inquiry by former Sky News executive Nick Pollard in October during a major crisis at the corporation that cost then-director-general George Entwistle his job.